Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde ValleySedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    • Home
    • Sedona News
    • Business Profiles
    • Opinion
    • Mind & Body
    • Arts
    • Elections
    • Contact
    • Cart
    Sedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde ValleySedona.Biz – The Voice of Sedona and The Verde Valley
    Home » Sedona City Talk: Arts and Culture
    Arts and Culture

    Sedona City Talk: Arts and Culture

    November 18, 2019No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Place ads on Sedona.biz

    By Nancy Lattanzi, Arts and Culture Coordinator

    City of Sedona ArizonaSedona AZ (November 18, 2019) – Sedona, whose landscape is a work of art, has long been a locale that attracts a wide range of artists coming here for pure inspiration. Monumental red rock formations accented with pinon pine bathe in an incredible ever changing light. The scenic vistas, open fields of colorful wildflowers and the flowing waters of Oak Creek all awaken the creative muse. As a natural arts and cultural destination, we are fortunate that our numerous local galleries and shops exhibit a range of art from Native American to modern including: fine art paintings, weavings, ceramics, wood carvings and sculptures. Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau’s Visitor Center in Uptown offers a free fold out map for art lovers to follow a sculpture walk throughout the community.

    Public art has been an integral part of Sedona over the years historically and continues to grow going forward. Outdoor sculpture adds visual dimension to outdoor spaces, which not only plays an essential role in bringing community together, but adds economic value. The city prides itself on supporting the arts. It is noteworthy that a Public Art Ordinance in 1992 was adopted, with the sole purpose of promoting outdoor art for locals and visitors to enjoy. An owner of any new or expanding commercial building is required to invest a percentage of money based on the current CPI, which goes into the Art in Public Places fund. When enough money accrues, a request for proposal is issued and the process for choosing public art begins.

    Over the years, the city has commissioned and purchased over 75 works of art displayed around the city campus and throughout the community on City property. There are paintings, photographs, stained glass and pewter medallions on display in City buildings. As you enter Sedona from three different directions, there are welcome signs, which are part of our art collection and currently being redesigned to become more current.

    As part of the Sedona in Motion (SIM) program, the city of Sedona has contracted Eagle Mountain Construction working on roadway improvements and adding two roundabouts uptown. Working with Planning and Design Engineering Consultants, Kimley-Horn, a Request for Proposal for existing artwork, or artwork that can be created in the time frame which coincides with the completion of construction, is underway.

    Typically we commission art for one roundabout at a time. Since there is enough money accrued, I am excited to announce for the first time I will be sending out a Request for Proposal seeking art for 4 roundabouts along State Route 179, once the uptown roundabouts are complete. These include: Canyon Drive, Morgan Road, Chapel Road and Back O Beyond Road. Once the submissions are received, a work group is formed to review and rate each piece according to specific criteria. When each roundabout is narrowed down to the top three artists, the public will have a chance to vote as well, before determining which four artists will be awarded a contract.

    Also brewing is the ever popular Artist in the Classroom program, which has been enthusiastically well received, after being launched in September. I presented the program to the Sedona Oak Creek School District staff, which is comprised of Red Rock Senior/Junior High and West Sedona Elementary School and to Sedona Charter School and Running River. There was also an Artist Orientation/Lunch, which is always a highlight, connecting many talented creative artists, each passionate about inspiring our local students. Half of the 30 artists in the program are new.

    There are also a multitude of new teachers at SOCSD, under the direction of Superintendent Dennis Dearden. Mr. Dearden is on a conscious path to elevate the school system with his impressive team, as they upgrade programming and find new ways to encourage student engagement in the classroom, as well as in after school activities.

    This new school year already has a large number of requests and promises to make meaningful connections, that will provide engaging projects augmenting curriculum. Studies show retention and interest in learning is higher when the arts are integrated. I look forward to a robust and stimulating year ahead, where students can be supported to learn through creativity. After all, in the words of Albert Einstein, “Creativity is intelligence having fun!”

    For those interested in learning more about our Art in Public Places program, as well as our Artist in the Classroom program contact me at nlattanzi@sedonaaz.gov.

    Place ads on Sedona.biz

    Scott mayor
    samaireformayor
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit WhatsApp
    Sedona.biz Staff

    Related Posts

    City celebrates “Fur & Fiber” art exhibit

    May 20, 2022

    Celebrating Sedona female artists for Women’s History Month

    March 12, 2022

    City celebrates two couples in art exhibit

    February 5, 2022

    Comments are closed.

    Paid Political Ad Paid For by Samaire for Mayor
    Paid Political Ad for Samaire Armstrong
    Paid Political Announcement by Samaire For Mayor

     THE MOMENT IS UPON US

    Dear Sedona,

    The moment is upon us. The time for a united effort to shift the focus back to our community is now.

    The ability to thrive in our community, our environment, our workforce, and the tourist industry, is entirely possible because we have all the resources needed for success.

    Still, we need a council that isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, that makes decisions based on data and facts, and through discussion, rather than moving and voting in group unison as they so regularly do.

    This is my home. I have been a part of the Sedona community for 28 years. I witnessed the road debacle, the lack of planning, the city circumventing the local businesses ability to thrive, while making choices to expand the local government and be in direct competition with private industry.

    I am a unique candidate because unlike the incumbents, I don’t believe the government should expand in size, nor in operations, nor would I attempt to micromanage every aspect of our community.

    City government should stay in its lane and allow the competitive market of local private industry to prosper. And it should defend our community from corporate takeover and infiltration of our town.

    I do not agree that we should sign onto International Building Codes and regulations by signing Sedona up to the ICC. It is imperative that we remain a sweet, rural community.

    Where are the arts? Where is this organic thriving element that we allege to be animated by. Where is our culture? Where is our community?

    The discord between the decision making process and the desires of the community have never been more clear. It has been nearly a decade in the making.

    It is time for a new era of energy to take charge. An energy that is reflective in the ability to succeed rather than be trapped in out of date consciousness.

    It has been a great honor meeting with each of you. I hear your concerns over the insane and out of control spending and I echo them. A budget of $105,000,000 in a town of 9700 residents is completely unacceptable. A parking structure (that looks like a shoe box) originally slated to cost 11 million, now projected to cost 18 million, is incomprehensible. Especially, considering there is no intention of charging for parking.

    For those who are concerned that I lack the political experience within our established system- that is precisely what Sedona needs… Not another politician, but instead a person who understands people, who listens to the voices within the community, and who will act in service on their behalf with accountability, for the highest good of Sedona. What I am not, will prove to be an asset as I navigate the entrenched bureaucracy with a fresh perspective. Business as usual, is over.

    Creative solutions require new energy.

    Every decision that is made by our local government, must contemplate Sedona first.

    • Does this decision benefit the residents?
    • Does this decision benefit the local businesses?
    • Does this decision actually help the environment?
    • Will this decision sustain benefit in the future, or will it bring more problems?

    What we have now is a city government that expands to 165 employees for 9700 residents. Palm Desert has 53,000 residents and 119 city employees. Majority of our city department heads are not even in town. I find this problematic.

    Efforts towards championing in and courting new solutions for our medical needs are imperative. We are losing our doctors. We must encourage competition with other facilities rather than be held hostage by NAH, who clearly have their own set of dysfunctions.

    We must remember that so many move to Sedona for its beauty, hiking, and small town charm. Bigger, faster, and more concrete does not, in broad strokes, fit the ethos of Sedona.

    The old world must remain strong here in balance, as that is what visitors want to experience. Too many have noted that Sedona has lost its edge and charm.

    As Mayor I will preserve the rural charm of our community, and push back against the urbanization that is planned for Sedona.

    As mayor I will make it a priority to create opportunities to support our youth.  After school healthy, enriching programs should be created for our kids, and available to the Sedona workforce regardless of residency and regardless of school they belong to.

    As Mayor, I will create an agenda to deliberately embody the consciousness of our collective needs here, allowing private industry to meet the needs of our community rather than bigger government.

    I hope to have your vote on Aug 2nd. I am excited and have the energy to take on this leadership role with new eyes, community perspective, and the thoughtful consciousness that reflects all ages of the human spectrum.

    Thank you deeply for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Samaire Armstrong

    Sedona elections
    Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
    Ready to Rumble

    By Tommy Acosta
    In the Blue Corner stands Scott Jablow and in the Red Corner of the ring stands Samaire Armstrong, ready to rumble to the bitter end in their fight to become the next Sedona mayor. Jablow weighs in with 1,137 primary election votes (36.13%) under his belt, having wielded his advantage as sitting Sedona City Council vice-mayor to his favor. He brings his years of serving in that capacity into the fray and waged a solid fight in his campaign to make it to the run-off. Armstrong, however withstood a blistering smear campaign from the other opposing candidates and their supporters to make it to the final bout with 967 votes under her belt (30.73%), an amazing feat for a political newcomer. Unfortunately, for the other two candidates, Kurt Gehlbach and sitting mayor Sandy Moriarty, neither put up enough of a fight to make it to the championship bout. Read more→
    Recent Comments
    • West Sedona Dave on Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
    • Bosco Hurn on Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
    • SSuzanne on All Arizonans at Risk for Monkeypox; Stigmatizing Only Gives False Sense of Security to All
    • Rob Adams on Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
    • Laurenza on Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
    Categories
    © 2022 All rights reserved. Sedona.biz.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.